Meatball & Sausage Lasagna

This hearty meatball and sausage lasagna is layered with homemade meatballs, crumbled Italian sausage, creamy ricotta, and gooey mozzarella. It’s the ultimate comfort food – perfect for Sunday dinners, holidays, or when you’re just craving a big, cheesy hug in a pan. Make it once and you’ll be hooked.

This lasagna? Worth every minute.

I absolutely love lasagna. Maybe it’s the Italian roots, maybe it’s the melty cheese and baked pasta, or maybe it’s that hearty meat sauce that makes your whole house smell amazing. Actually… it’s all of it. Lasagna is soul food. It’s indulgent, cozy, and 100% worth the time it takes.

This version? It’s layered with homemade meatballs (yes, those meatballs), Italian sausage, creamy ricotta, and loads of cheese. It’s a dish you make when you want to impress, feed a crowd, or simply enjoy the leftovers for days.

 

Meatball and Sausage Lasagna
Time: 2.5 hours
Difficulty: Moderate
Servings: 10
Nutrition per serving: 429 calories | 22g protein | 38g carbs | 21g fat | 3g sugar

 

 

 

ingredients

 

  • 12 medium sized meatballs (recipe HERE)
  • 6 medium sized sausage links
  • 1 32 oz. jar/can of tomato sauce (or make your own! My recipe is HERE)
  • 1 (15 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
  • 3 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil leaves
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoon of dry parsley
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese – divided
  • 2 cups whole milk Ricotta cheese
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese 
  • 1 large egg
  •  12-15 lasagna noodles

 

directions

Step 1: Make the meat sauce

  1. In a Dutch oven, warm your sauce over low heat. (OR make a homemade sauce – my homemade sauce recipe is HERE)

  2. Gently add in your meatballs and sausage links. Cover and simmer for about 1 hour. (Don’t stir too much – you don’t want to break those meatballs!)

  3. Remove meatballs and sausage from the sauce and let cool. Set sauce aside.

Homemade meatballs and Italian sausage simmering in marinara sauce for lasagna, rich with herbs and slow-cooked flavor

Italian sausage links and homemade meatballs just out of the rich marinara sauce for lasagna, seasoned with garlic, herbs, and crushed tomatoes

 

 

 

Step 2: Cook the pasta and make the ricotta mix

4. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles al dente according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.

5. While the noodles cook, mix your ricotta filling. In a large bowl, combine:

  • 1 cup mozzarella

  • Ricotta cheese

  • 1/4 cup parmesan

  • Egg

  • 1 tbsp parsley

  • 1/2 tsp salt

  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning

  • 1/2 tsp basil Taste and adjust as needed. Stir until smooth and creamy.

 

Homemade ricotta cheese mixture for lasagna with mozzarella, parmesan, parsley, and Italian seasoning in a white mixing bowl

 

Step 3: Prep the meat

6. Remove casings from sausage, then crumble and break up both sausage and meatballs using forks or your hands.

 

7. Mix them together in a bowl. This is your rich, savory filling.

Crumbled homemade meatballs and Italian sausage prepared for layering in a hearty lasagna, seasoned and cooked to tender perfection

 

Step 4: Assemble the lasagna

8. Preheat oven to 350°F.

9. In a 9×13-inch baking dish, spread a thin layer of crushed tomatoes.

10. Layer the following three times:

  • 3–4 lasagna noodles

  • 1/3 of the ricotta mixture

  • 1/3 of the crumbled meatball/sausage

  • A few spoonfuls of sauce

  1. Top with a final layer of noodles, the remaining sauce, 1 cup mozzarella, and 1/4 cup parmesan.

 

Layered lasagna in progress with lasagna noodles, ricotta mixture, and a generous topping of crumbled meatball and sausage filling in a glass baking dish.

 

 

Step 5: Bake!

12. Cover dish with foil (spray the underside with non-stick spray to keep the cheese from sticking!).

13. Bake for 45 minutes.

14. Remove foil and bake another 15 minutes until bubbly and golden.

15. Let cool before slicing into big, hearty portions.

 

Homemade meatball and sausage lasagna layered with ricotta, marinara sauce, and melted mozzarella, served hot and cheesy from a glass baking dish

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